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Monday, July 21, 2014

Overgrown path anger

Angry comments have been expressed recently on social media about the state of the path that cuts between the fields at the town side of Firhall. Some river walkers vary their circuit of the river with a walk along this straight stretch. In past years it has been cut by someone but this year the path is very overgrown making it difficult for walkers, especially in wet weather. In past times the town could have easily have sent someone up with a strimmer for an hour's work but perhaps that sort of flexibility no longer exists in the world where Highland Council delivers the service by the use of private contractors.

4 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Do something for your self people! its always someone else's problem! If its an hours work for a council employee then its an Hours work for Joe public, I know if I was that bothered and I used the path Id go cut it myself!!

I believe that a kind volunteer has spent an hour or so cutting the path. He says he will do some more on Friday. He works 60hrs a week, anti social hours, for min wage and is under 25 - hope the media stop criticising the "younger generation" who do so much to help others. :-)

Just another of many reminders that nothing comes free, and local services aren't delivered by someone with a magic wand.

If the local community wants and expects the local authority (Highland Council) to use our council-tax money sensibly and efficiently, then people must hold the Council to account and look much more closely at how efficiently they spend that money.

If people don't want Council-tax money to be used for tasks like grass-cutting and maintenance of public amenities, then the only alternative is Do-It-Yourself. Already a lot of local work formerly done by the Council is being done by local residents voluntarily, and a lot of public services are being reduced (eg libraries, service points) or closed (eg public toilets).

Credit to the public-spirited person who has stepped forward in this case. But it isn't fair for others always to expect "someone else" to volunteer.